Rotor fuze



Dec. 16, 1969 J, E LEONARDIS 3,483,822

ROTOR FUZE Filed Nov. 13, 1961 INVENTOR Alfonso J. DeLeonard/s ATTORNEY3,483,822 Patented Dec. 16, 1969 US. Cl. 102-79 3 Claims The inventiondescribed herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Governmentof the United States of America for governmental purposes without thepayment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a fuze. More particularly, it relates to afuze that is armed by rotation and that is fired by impact and rapiddeceleration of rotation. This fuze has special application to munitionsthat rotate under a free fall and which fire on impact with the ground.

In the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section of the fuze in safeposition.

FIG. 2 shows a section of the fuze in armed position.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show sections of the fuze in firing condition under twomodes of impact.

The fuze is structurally symmetrical about its center and consists ofstator having a transverse centrally disposed rotor 12. This rotor hastwo diametrically positioned primers 14 and 16. At angles to theseprimers are the symmetrical radial cavities 18 and 20 containing springs22 and 24. These springs bear against pins 26 and 28 on one end, whichpins are fixed to the stator 10. The other end of springs 22 and 24 bearagainst the radial cavity in the rotor and bias the rotor clockwise intoarmed position.

Two diametrically disposed recesses in the rotor are positionedclockwise ahead of the primers. These recesses are preferably conicaland serve to receive firing pins 34 and 36 in the unarmed position. Thelatter pins are in turn recessed into and a part of centrifugal springloaded weights 38 and 40. Springs 42 and 44 serve to bias these weightsinto position in engagement with the rotor. Screw caps 4-6 and 48complete the structure.

In operation, the primers are inserted and the rotor is locked in thesafe position of FIG. 1 against the bias of springs 22 and 24. As thefuze rotates about the rotor axis, centrifugal force causes the conicalfiring pins to withdraw from conical recesses and 32, whereupon therotor turns to the armed position of FIG. 2. A sharp reduction in therotational velocity causes one or both of the firing pins to engage itsrespective primer to thereby fire the fuze. The primers fire through acommon diametral and axial opening shown at 50.

It is to be understood that several variants are possible withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. Thus the rotor may be biasedby any type of spring arrangements other than the coil Springs shown.Similarly, the firing pins and weights may be biased inward in anymanner that will insure their striking the primers. The primers may bemade to fire through independent channels. Other variants are alsopossible.

This fuze has the advantage of being relatively simple mechanically andinexpensive to produce. It has few parts and is reliable in itsfunctioning. Being symmetrical about a horizontal axis it lends itselfwell to installation in small free falling munitions without upsettingthe center of gravity of such munition.

I claim:

1. A symmetrical fuze comprising a fuze body, a centrally positionedcylindrical rotary primer holder within said fuze body, twodiametrically disposed primers positioned in said primer holder, twoweighted firing pins in said fuze body disposed on opposite sides of theprimer holder and substantially perpendicular thereto and in cooperationwith said primers, said firing pins being positioned on a common axisand having a spring bias toward said primers, said rotary primer holderbeing pivoted about an axis substantially at right angles to the axis ofthe firing pins and being spring biased about its axis into an armedposition wherein said primers are aligned with said firing pins, saidrotary primer holder having diametrically opposed indentations at anangle to said primers, each of said firing pins engaging one of saidindentations in said unarmed position.

2. A symmetrical fuze comprising a fuze body, a centrally positionedrotary primer holder within said fuze body, weighted firing pinsdisposed on opposite sides of said primer holder and substantiallyperpendicular thereto, said primer holder having two diametricallydisposed primers in cooperation with said firing pins, said primerholder being rotatable about its axis into armed position wherein saidfiring pins are aligned with said primers, said primer holder alsohaving two diametrically disposed circumferential indentationspositioned at an angle to said primers, each of said firing pinsengaging one of said indentations when the fuze is in the unarmedposition, said primer holder being spring biased about its axis intoarmed position.

3. A fuze in accordance with claim 2 wherein the rotary primer holderincludes passages whereby the ignition passes out through a hollow axisof the primer holder.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,046,349 12/1912 Voller 102762,806,427 9/1957 Hager 10271 2,951,444 9/1960 Hunt et a1. 102782,427,671 9/ 1947 Graumann et a1. 10279 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,159,841 2/1958France.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner T. H. WEBB, Assistant ExaminerU.S. C1. X.R. 10280

1. A SYMMETRICAL FUZE COMPRISING A FUZE BODY, A CENTRALLY POSITIONEDCYLINDRICAL ROTARY PRIMER HOLDER WITHIN SAID FUZE BODY, TWODIAMETRICALLY DISPOSED PRIMERS POSITIONED IN SAID PRIMER HOLDER, TWOWEIGHTED FIRING PINS IN SAID FUZE BODY DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THEPRIMER HOLDER AND SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR THERETO AND IN COOPERATIONWITH SAID PRIMERS. SAID FIRING PINS BEING POSITIONED ON A COMMON AXISAND HAVING A SPRING BIAS TOWARD SAID PRIMERS, SAID ROTARY PRIMER HOLDERBEING PIVOTED ABOUT AN AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE AXIS OFTHE FIRING PINS AND BEING SPRING BIASED ABOUT ITS AXIS INTO AN ARMEDPOSITION WHEREIN SAID PRIMERS ARE ALIGNED WITH SAID FIRING PINS, SAIDROTARY PRIMER HOLDER HAVING DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED INDENTATIONS AT ANANGLE TO SAID PRIMERS, EACH OF SAID FIRING PINS ENGAGING ONE OF SAIDINDENTIATIONS IN SAID UNARMED POSITION.